In electronic components of today, especially computers, various devices, add-ons, and peripherals are attached or interfaced with the computer or otherwise via electrical connectors. These connectors are usually mounted in some manner to printed circuit boards (PCB's) such that the attached device is electrically coupled thereto. In general, connectors are either surface mounted or through mounted to the circuit board. Additionally, some connectors accept printed circuit boards from the top (vertical insertion) while other connectors accept printed circuit boards from the side (horizontal insertion).
All of the connectors have a plurality of electrical terminals or contacts that are adapted to contact leads of the PCB of the attached device or a card containing components, and also to attach to the main PCB on which the connector is mounted.
The portion of the contacts that are attached to the circuit board are generally known as the solder tails. The solder tails are electrically coupled to the various circuits of the circuit board by soldering the ends of the solder tails to soldering pads located on the PCB. However, the point of soldering or connection is naturally a weak spot. During insertion of a card or circuit board into the connector, the insertion forces on the housing of the connector translate into forces or stress on the solder tail that strains the point of connection or soldering of the solder tail to the circuit board. Such stress can cause the solder tails to become detached from the PCB with the result that there is a break in the electrical connection between the connector and the PCB. This is especially true where the card or circuit board is horizontally received in the connector. In this case, the forces on the solder points (the soldered connection of the solder points of the solder tails and the solder pads of the PCB) are tangential resulting in a shearing effect. The repeated shearing stress weakens or ruptures the connection. Even connectors that receive cards or PCB's vertically experience forces during insertion and removal of the cards or PCB's such as to create shearing forces at the solder points. Additionally, PCB warpage or other stresses can be detrimental to the solder joints.
With the above in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector adapted to receive a card or device PCB and mountable to a main printed circuit board, that includes contacts or terminals which absorb stress as a result of insertion or removal of a printed circuit board.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a blanked or stamped contact for an electrical connector that is sturdy yet compliant for absorbing or isolating stress.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a double-deck in-line module (DDIM) or dual in-line module (DIM) for horizontal receipt of memory cards wherein the solder tails absorb or isolate stresses on the soldering joints as a result of card insertion and/or removal.